Coastal Services Center

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Trend Analysis

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Standard baseline Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) data consists of a recent coastal land cover map, an earlier land cover map–usually five years earlier–and a database of change between the two. Whereas the land cover map is an inventory of land cover for the total area, the land cover change data is an inventory of all of the conversions that occurred between the two dates. For example, the change data may record how much forested land changed to developed land. Once the national baseline is complete, the addition of subsequent dates of land cover will produce a series of land cover data sets, from which land cover changes over the course of many years can be observed. Trend analysis studies the general tendencies of these changes in order to characterize them and forecast future land cover changes. C-CAP is currently investigating techniques for trend analysis as they apply to land cover and land cover change data.

In the graphic below, move your cursor over the image layers to observe changes in land cover between the dates.

High-Intensity Developed Palustrine Forest Low-Intensity Developed Palustrine Scrub/Shrub Cultivated Land Emergent Marsh Wetland Grassland Unconsolidated Shoreline Forest Land Bare Land Scrub/Shrub Water

Use the following links to learn more about Land Cover Trend Analysis:

Why Trend Analysis? | Data Sources